Alaska defunds scholarships for thousands of university students ahead of fall semester

when we last left the great state of alaska, UA declared exigency, and now everything is beginning to come down and things are hitting the fan pretty much everywhere in alaska. aside from the university system trying to weather the storm, we have:

• people already fleeing the sinking ship that is UA and other universities targeting those people: Wasilla gymnast is first athlete to leave UAA because of financial uncertainties
• preparation for large scale cuts in the system after fall classes begin: Financial exigency likely means UAS layoffs and program reductions — but not before fall classes begin
• alaska native head start classrooms being jeopardized extensively: Governor’s veto could close Head Start classrooms in Southeast Alaska
• anchorage declaring a civil emergency over the cuts (and possibility of hundreds of homeless having no place to go): Anchorage declares a civil emergency over looming cuts
• a statewide ferry strike: With statewide strike underway, legislators fear for Alaska ferries’ long-term existence
• and a legislature with really one last chance to reel at least some of this in tomorrow, but maybe don't count on it:

Meanwhile, the governor’s allies in the Legislature remain ride-or-die for the $3,000 PFD. They’re so entrenched that the House Majority is just going over their heads and appears to be working on a deal directly with Dunleavy to restore some of the vetoes.

It’s an increasingly sad and lonely corner they’re painting themselves into but unfortunately there’s still enough of them in that corner to reach out and pull the state toward the brink with the capital budget.

The House came up a vote short this week on properly funding the capital budget in order to secure nearly a billion dollars in federal transportation funds and restore all the dozens of funds the governor decided to liquidate, which would put the funds back in place for the scholarship program, power cost equalization and the vaccination program.

The House has one last chance to undo that (barring introducing a whole new bill) on Monday. That’s when the House plans to hold its final vote on the bill. Hold onto your butts.